- 7 Nov 2022
“Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) was formally introduced in the Environment Act 2021, meaning it’s a relatively new discipline that’s still developing and becoming part of our everyday language. I’ve been lucky enough to engage with BNG at an early stage but there’s still a lot to learn before it become mandatory in November 2023.
As a Biodiversity Net Gain consultant, I enjoy helping clients navigate this new approach and seeing how BNG is already influencing development to create schemes beneficial to local biodiversity. I primarily assess residential and commercial schemes, but I’ve also worked on exciting projects within the healthcare and leisure sectors. My day can look very different depending on the project, but there is generally a balance between site surveying, report writing and client engagement.
BNG is still evolving, and no two schemes are the same, so a flexible approach is required. I work closely with our in-house arboriculture, ecology and GIS teams to accurately survey habitats, as well as with landscape architects to inform the landscape plans. Ultimately, the goal is to produce holistic schemes which are beneficial to both wildlife and the communities they serve.”
Shannon Brady, Biodiversity Net Gain Consultant, Urban Green